Heckingbottom on tactic changes, injuries and facing Burnley
- Published
Katie Catherall, BBC Sport
Sheffield United boss Paul Heckingbottom has been speaking to the media before his side face Burnley on Saturday.
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
On the role that fans play in motivating the team: "Our fans have been great, they're good at home and away. Fans know the importance they play at home, we want to make it a tough place to come."
Heckingbottom said it is important to "keep momentum going", even when members of the squad are injured.
On games after the international break: "Everyone is asking if the international break was at a good time – there's arguments go both ways. It comes at the time when you know it will, we have to plan for that and get the most out of the boys. We did what we could to get everyone ready for the Bournemouth game."
On tactic changes after the defeat to Bournemouth: "We dropped below our standards, we were too sloppy. We won't win games in this league like that. We worked, the effort was there, we ran further than them, the furthest distance we've covered this season. But we gave the ball away too much and we got that wrong."
Heckingbottom confirmed that Rhys Norrington-Davies has been in training: "Day by day we'll increase what he does, he's on his own programme and using us when he needs. What he needs is football, so we're testing and training."
On Oli McBurnie's return: "He benefited from that 45 mins of play but you could see he'd been out. He's had another week of training which is good - he's in a much better place this week."
Heckingbottom was asked if he is facing pressure from the board to secure a victory: "No different conversations to normal. There's pressure from us because we want to win. I expect us to go out and win. We do it our way, Burnley have spent money, but while they were spending we used our academy and worked hard."
On having to regularly change the squad: "We’ve changed every game because we’ve had to, I'd love to get some consistency and start working with the same group of players every week on the training ground. Unfortunately one of our issues is there’s been too many enforced changes, whether that’s selling players, recruiting late, getting injuries, we need that to settle down."
On expectations against Burnley: "We expect to win games. We put in work on the training ground. We're still in the same league as them so it shows we’re doing things right and we’ll continue to think that way."
On facing Vincent Kompany: "Kompany is still sticking to his principles, he's finding it more difficult, it's a more difficult league. While there’s been a slight change in his shape he’s tried to stick to his principles and play the same way."
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